Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the May 21, 2016, Sacramento Bee.

Remember that “historic” drought? The one that erased snow from the Sierra and was turning the Central Valley into a dusty bowl?

Remember how it was supposed to be permanent? How all Californians need to forever change the wasteful ways we use water because most of the state is, in fact, a desert?

We remember. We’re not sure about the State Water Resources Control Board and some local water agencies, though.

Dazzled by winter precipitation that, while wetter than before, failed to measure up to even normal snowpack, the board voted to lift a statewide conservation mandate that had been in effect since last summer.

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